A Voice From the Past
by netangel182
Summary: A few years in the future.... what happens to some characters
1. Part 1

Ok here's the deal I don't own them, but if I did I would so make this happen. Anyway enjoy!!

A Voice From the Past

"Catie please…" Jamie Waite's voice crept slowly into her thoughts.   
Catie closed her eyes is hopes of shaking the memory from her mind. 'Will you pay attention?!' her subconscious seemed to scream at her. 'You have to get some work done!'   
With that she forced her eyes open and tried in vain to concentrate on the sketches sprawled out in front of her.   
"Catie," her boss said sticking her head in her office door, "go home hon it's getting late." Catie glanced at the small clock on the wall. 7:30. Time had sure flown past. Remembering that she was in charge of supper that night, she shuffled her way out of the office. 'Well hope he doesn't starve' she thought, chuckling as she made her way to the car.

* * * * * * *   
She pulled skillfully into the parking garage just across from her apartment building and shifted into park. Just as she was about to turn he ignition off, the DJ on the radio caught her attention:

"And here's a new one for your drive home from a promising up-and-comer. I promise that this isn't the last you'll hear from this guy. So here you are folks. This is "If you only knew" by---"   
  
With that Catie cut the engine. "This is LA guy. Everyone here is a 'promising up-and-comer' " She remarked grabbing the bags of fast food that occupied the passenger seat.   
She made her way up the two flights of stairs and with the turn of a key was in the door of her apartment.   
"Hey handsome I'm home!" She called out removing her coat.   
"Please tell me that you brought the…" A tall shaggy blond head peaked around the corner. "FOOD!!"   
"Oh and hello to you too!" she remarked playfully.   
"Sorry," he leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. And with that he was headed back into the other room, full plate in hand.   


That's all I have time for now I promise the others will be longer. If anyone out there is intrigued and want me to continue just tell me cause I can't tell it it's making any sense at this point!! Thanx much!!   



	2. Part 2

ok as promised here's some more for you to enjoy. Again I don't own them. :(   
Plez let me know what you think of this one.

A Voice From the Past (cont.) 

Catie opened the fridge searching for something of substance. 'There's no way i'm eating that!' She thought staring at the lone hamburger left on the table. Instead she opted for some strawberry yogert that was hidden behing a few cans of soda. After grabbing a soda, she headed for the living room.   
She smiled as the distince songs of "Oklahoma" filled her ears. "Tyler, please don't tell me that you've given into this cliche," she said plopping onto the couch.   
"And what cliche would that be?" He flashed her a bright smile and put his arm around her shoulder.   
"The gay-men-love-musical-theater cliche," she said cheerfully.   
"Let's just call it a guilty pleasure," he replied, not taking his eyes of the screen. "Besides you know you love it."   
Catie laughed and closed her eyes, letting the music consume her. She had decided that choosing to live with Tyler was the best decision that she has made in a long time. She was so glad to have found him again.   
  
* ***FLASHBACK****

After she had finished art school in Seatle, she had moved to LA to find work, and who should she run into at a coffie shop but Tyler Connel. They sat and talked over their steaming lattes for what seemed like an eternity.   
Tyler told her all about his shortlived football career at Notre Dame and his move to San Fransisco. And that now he was moving to LA to take a job at an ad agency downtown, the only problem was that he was having problems finding an apartment. Catie asked him to move in with her right then and there.   
  
****END FLASHBACK*****

Tyler was the perfect roommate, quiet, caring, and most of all clean. Granted he usually ended up hitting on her dates when the picked her up, but that was something that she was willing to live with. Catie was just happy to have someone to care about who cared about her. Suddenly an image of Jamie's face flashed in her mind. She cringed. Why had she let her mind concentrate on him, but it was too late to stop that now. 

****FLASHBACK****   
Kingsport High Graduation Class of 2003 (I think)

"Catie, wait up," Jamie called across the footbal field, "I need to talk to you."   
She spun around to see a cap and gown clad jamie running tward her, diploma in hand. "What's up?" she asked casually.   
"Well....I.......ummmm...." he stammered, wringing his hands nervously.   
"Jamie what are you trying to say?" she asked, searching his brown eyes for a hint of where he was going with this.   
"Nothing," he replied, a little too quickly. Catie raised her eyebrows at him. "Ok the thing is," he continued, "that I.... well..... here."   
Before Catie could question him, he leaned forward and pressed his warm lips to hers. 'finally' she thought. hr eyes flicked shut and she returned the kiss. But, soon a striking thought crossed through her mind, 'In less than a week you'll be thousands of miles apart. You can't tell him that you love him and then disappear, that's not fair to him. You'll only hurt him in the long run.'   
As much as she hated to end the perfect kiss, she pulled away from him, holding back tears. "We can't do this, not now. We'll only end up hurting eash other. I'm sorry, but we just have to...... walk away." That being said, she started to back away from him.   
He looked up to meet her eyes, and even across the distance thst she had put between them, she could see tears forming in the corners of his eyes. She couldn't take it anymore, she turned her back to him. It took all her might to tear herself from the spot where her feet were planted, but she souldn't stay.   
Just as she reached the edge of the field, Jamie's voice reached her ears, "Catie please......"   
Against her better judgment she turned to face him, blew him a kiss and then took off for home as fast as her feet would carry her.   
  
*****END FLASHBACK*******

That was the last time that she had seen Jamie in five years. She had gone to Europe for the summer and then toSeatle for school, and the last she heard about Jamie he was at UCLA studying medicine.   
Catie felt a tear roll down her cheek as she was brought painfully back to reality. The credits of "Oklahoma" were now scrolling quickly across the screen and Tyler had walked over to turn off the set.   
"You Ok?" he asked in a caring voice. All Catie could manage in response was a shrug. His eyes perked up as he turned tward the stareo, "I think that you need to dance," he stated flatly, holding his hand out to her as the DJ's voice became audible.   
Laughing, she got up and walked tward him.   
"Here's a slow one for all you lovers out there," the DJ said. Catie and Tyler both crimged "Been   
getting alot of calls for this one. So here you go. It's "If You Only Knew by---"   
'Well this sounds firmilular' Catie couldn't help but think.   
"Jamie Waite."   
Catie and Tyler both stared at the radio in shock. "Did he just say......?" Tyler broke the scilence.   
"I think so," Catie replied sinking back into the couch.   
  


More are coming, that is if you want them, just let me know. And i promise to fill you in on the other characters too. pleze tell me what you think cuz i'm not sure if it still makes sense to anyone out there. thanx


	3. Part 3

Sorry it took me so long. I'm doing my best here, but i promise that if you want another one it'll be out faster.   
As usual i don't own any of them.   


A Voice From The Past   
  
Jamie sat with his head against the window watching the sun rise over the streets of LA. He mindlessly strummed his guitar as he let himself slip once again into the past. He tried to remember exactly what had happened to him in the last five years that brought him to where he was sitting. How had the time gone by so fast.   
After graduation, he took off for the summer, weaving his way acrss the country on his motorcycle in the vain hopes of getting Catie out of his head. But, everywhere he went, there she was in the front of his mind. He toyed with the idea of trying to track her down, but, judging from her reaction on graduation, he was quite sure that she didn't want to see him.   
So with that he had headed back to California to continue with his life. Jamie and Val had both decided to go to UCLA for medical school, and in the first couple months or so that they were there, they became fairly close. Val kept him informed on what Catie was doing and how her art classes were going, and Val listened to the songs that he wrote about Catie as a kind of therapy. Of course he never imagined that those personal songs would be played for the whole country to hear, but he liked it that way. It made him realize that everyone gets their hearts broken and he wasn't alone.   
After the first semester though, Val decided that she was in love. Unfortunately that man live on the opposite end of the country, so she had made the decision to leave LA for Boston. Despite the fact that he knew he was losing another friend, he encouraged Val to go. He knew that she'd regret it if she didn't.   
Sure enough, six months later she called him and asked that he come to her wedding. He had declined, knowing if he went Catie might not have and that Val needed her more than she needed Jamie. He wandered through the next few years almost like a machine, he'd go to class, then come home and play his guitar. He was alone, there was no question about that.   
After he graduated pre-med, he took some time off and started playing some of his music at clubs near the campus. One night he had a man come up and offer to "make him a star". To Jamie's suprise, that man had kept his promise, his music was now being played all over the area for millions to hear.   
"So you'd think that I would be happy," Jamie said to himself in the empty apartment.   
Just then his eyes caught on the picture over his mantle. It was a shot taken outside the station the morning of graduation. The squad plus Catie all smiled back at him, all dressed in their caps and gowns. He would give anything to see them all again. To know how their lives were going. He' even lost touch with Val, his last commection to his life in Kingsport.   
With a sigh, he got up to get a cup of coffie. as he walked passed the door, a pile of letters slid through the mail slot. Relieved to have something to do, he sifted through the pile of junk mail and bills. One letter caught his attention though. His name and address were printed neatly on the front of the white envelope, and the return address simply read Kingsport, CA. Curious as to what was inside, Jamie opened the envelope and carefully read it's contents.

*********************Meanwhile at Catie and Tyler's*****************

"Mail call," Catie called as she walked in the apartment. She held a pile of envelopes in one hand and the morning paper in the other. "Looks like someone finally figured out that you moved." she replied jokingly handing him a plain envelope bearing his name that rested on the top of the pile. She threw the rest of the mail down and headed to the kitchen for some juice.   
Tyler turned to the pile of envelopes and pulled out an envelope almost identical to the one in his hand. "Hey you got one of these letters too," he called to her.   
"That's wierd, where are they from?" she asked walking in and scooping the letter off the table.   
"Kingsport?" They said in unison.

**************************************************************   
Val sat silently on the edge of her bed, watching her husband sleep. He seemed fo peaceful, so happy. He was perfect. She had known that since the day that they were married. She had the kind of life that she had always imagined for herself. She couldn't help but be happy.   
Suddenly a beam of light from the hallway fell across the bed. "Mommy," a quiet voice said from the doorway. A small sillowet stood in the doorway, clutching a worn teddy bear.   
"Shhh honey, daddy's still asleep," Val whispered as she crossed the room and picked her daughter up and carried her down the hall of the apartment, closing the door to her bedroom so as not to dirupt her husband.   
"Cartoons mommy," the little girl said impatiently, sqwirming from her mother's arms until Val had no choice but to return her to the ground. The girl then wobbled her way into the living room and sat in front of the telivision, waiting for Val to turn it on. Once she did, Val stood back and watched as her three-year-old's eyes lit up when big bird made his way onto the screen.   
After a minute, she headed out the door into the morning air to get the mail from the morning. She threw the pile onto the table mindlessly and headed for the kitchen. "Victoria," she called to her daughter, "Do you want to help me make daddy some pancakes?"   
In response, she heard little feet thumping against the wooden floor as the small girl appeared before her. "I take that as a yes," Val smiled, grabbing for the ingredients.   
Twenty minutes later, a stack of warm pancakes sat on the table with three plates and a pitcher of orange juice. "Well, let's go wake Daddy up huh?" she proposed. Before she even finished her sentence, Victoria had started down the hall screaming "Daddy, Daddy." As she started to walk down the hall after her, a letter on the table caught her attention.   
"Kingsport?" she wispered outloud.   
"What about Kingsport?" a deep voice asked from behind her.   
She held up the letter for her husband to see. He grabbed it from her, placing a soft kiss on her lips.   
"Let's see what it is," He said opening the envelope.   
  


Still intrigued? Just let me know and i promise another chapter. I hope it makes sense, cause it's really late, so if not i'm sorry.   



	4. Part 4

Hey all here's another one for you. hope you enjoy. Let me know if you want more.

As always, i don't own any of the characters.

A Voice From The Past (part 4)   
Tyler studied the delicat paper in his hand.He began to read the ornate writing out loud, "Please join us as we celebrate..."   
******************************   
Jamie read the invite to the empty apartment, "..... the joining of Nicolas Alan Keaton and Brooke Lauren Lanier..."   
******************************   
".... In holy matrimony. On the eleventh day of October!" Catie finished. "Little Brookie's getting married?!"   
"Looks like it," Tyler said with a smile. "Catie this is a good thing, smile!"   
Catie let a small smile pull at the corners of her mouth. "I'm calling Val," she anounced. With that she grabbed the phone and dialed Val's number.   
******************************   
Val stole the note back from her husband and began to open it. "Let's have a look shall we?" She pulled out a lacy card. "Hey Brooke finally got her invitations out."   
"It's about time," her husband teased.   
Val playfully hit him on the head sending Victoria into hysterics. "Let's eat," Val said.   
Just as Val put a bite of pancake into her mouth, the phone rang. Victoria jumped out of her chair, "Mommy, Mommy can I talk?" Val nodded her head and held the phone to her daughter's ear.   
"Hilo," Victoria said into the mouthpiece. After a minute, she looked up. "Mommy, Aunt Catie says to tell you that it's Aunt Catie."   
Val smiled sweetly at her daughter. "OK honey," she said, "Now finish your pancakes. She pulled the phone to her ear, "Hi Catie."   
Her best friend's voice filled her ears, "Val she's so sweet."   
"I know," she replied, smiling as her daughter made a pool of syrup on the table. "So, what's up?"   
"Exactly when were you gonna tell me that Brooke was getting married?"   
Val laughed a little at the tone in Catie's voice, "Brooke wanted it to be a suprise. You mad?"   
"Not really," Catie replied, laughing it off. 'That's brooke for ya' she thought.   
Val shook her head. Catie hadn't changed. "So are you coming?"   
"Is Jamie?" Catie asked in response.   
"Does it really matter?" Val retorted. She knew that Catie was wishing that he was, but she wouldn't admit it.   
"No it doesn't," she replied defensively, "I was just wondering. But yes I'll be there. I wouldn't want to miss this."   
There was a pause on the line and Val could hear mumbling coming from the background. suddenly, Catie's voice was replaced by a much deeper one. "Count me in too," Tyler said happily, "How you doing Val?"   
"Really good," Val answered.   
"That's wonderful," he said sincerely, "I don't want to cut this conversation short, but can I talk to--"   
"Sure," Val cut him off. "Hank honey, Tyler wants to talk football again." She handed her husband the reciever.   
************************************************************   
Jamie turned the invite over in his hands, trying to decide what to do. He wanted to see everyone more than anything, but.....   
Before he could finish his thought, a slip of paper slid from the inside of the card onto the table. Familular handwriting greeted him as he picked up the note to read:   
_Dear Jamie,_   
_ Please, please, please come join us. I want you to be there and we all want_   
_ to see you so badly. Plus I have a favor to ask you. Nick and I wanted to be original_   
_ and have a song just for us at the wedding, but neither of us can write to save our_   
_ lives. So is there any way that you could come up with something? You're the most_   
_ musical person that i know. You don't have to by any means, but I'd really appreciate_   
_ it. Call me either way OK? My number is 374-5415. Hope to hear from you soon._   
_ Love always,_   
_ Brooke___

Suddenly, all of Jamie's sadness seemed to wash away. He jogged into the kitchen and grabbed the phone. The fact that Brooke wanted him to sing there made all the difference to him. He had an important reason to be there, and couldn't refuse. He carefully dialed the number on the paper and listend as the other end rang.   
"Hello," a male voice answered.   
"Uh yeah, is Brooke there?" Jamie asked tenitively, hoping that he had dialed the number correctly.   
"Yeah she's right here hang on just a second," the man, who Jamie now realized was Nick, replied.   
"Hello?" a familular voice asked a moment later.   
"Hey Brooke," Jamie said happily, unsure if she would recognize her voice or not.   
"Jamie!!!" Brooke screamed so loudly that he had to pull the phone from his ear. "Is that really you?"   
"The one and only," he said in his usual witty tone. "So what's this about you getting married? Didn't you just graduate?"   
"Yeah, so what," Brooke said defensively.   
"Aww our little Brooke's all grown up," Jamie joked. "It seems like just yeaterday I caught you surfing the web for under.... garments."   
A laugh came from the other end of the line, "I can't believe that you remember that!!"   
"Yeah me neither," Jamie replied, smirking at himself.   
Then an uncomfortably silence filled the air for what seemed like an eternity. Jamie had so much he wanted to ask her about Val, Hank, Tyler ....... and Catie? But where to begin?   
"So...." It was Brooke who broke the silence. "Are you going to come to the wedding?"   
Jamie took a deap breath and thought for a second, "Is Catie going to be there?"   
"Does is matter?" Brooke asked softly. "_I_ want you to be there, and so does everyone else."   
Jamie kicked himself for even asking. "I'm sorry, and you're right it doesn't matter. I'll be there. I promise."   
"Good," Brooke said, sonding relieved.   
"Plus I think that I have the perfect song for you," Jamie added. He looked at his watch. "Ah, Brooke I've gotta go. I have a meeting with my agent in like 5 minutes." Brooke laughed.   
"What??" he asked   
"Nothing," she said controling her laughter. "Ok so I'll see you in October?"   
"Definately, Oh and congratulations by the way."   
"Thanks Jamie."   
"Bye Brooke." With that he hung up the phone and ran out the door, guitar in hand and a smile on his face.

TO BE CONTINUED..........

OK there you go. What do you think. I'll try to get another one out soon if you want it. I promise there's not too many more parts. But please be patient with me this week. It's midterms so i won't get much time to write, but i promise i'll try. All you gotta do is tell me that you want more.


	5. Part 5

Hey as promised here's another one. I promise that i'm trying to make these as long as possible so that there won't be so many. But i'm almost done. just let me know if you want more.

Ahh the dreaded disclaimer: as usual i don't own any of it.

A Voice From the Past (part 5)   
One month later........October 9

Catie and Tyler pulled up into the driveway of a small house. As they closed the doors of the rental car, a bounding 3 year old ran out the door, her curly brown hair flailing behind her. "Auntie Catie!!!"   
Catie scooped the small girl up in her arms easily. "Hey sweety!"   
She walked through the open door and called, "Hey we're here, anybody home?"   
"Catie!" Brooke yelled from upstairs. "Come on up!"   
"Tyler," Val's voice now called, "Hank and Nick are in the den downstairs watching the game if you want to join them."   
"OK," Tyler called back, already searching for the stairs.   
Catie began to climb the stairs with Victoria still in her arms. When she reached the top of the steps, the little girl wiggled so much that Catie had no choice but to set her down. Victoria then bounded into the first room that she came to on her right. Before following, Catie took a moment to look around the quaint little house that Brooke and Nick were renting. Upstairs, there were three small bedrooms and a bathroom. And from the brief view she had of the lower level, there was a foyer, a gigantic family room and a kitchen so large that they had a full sized dining table for eating meals.   
She then walked into the room that Victoria had disappeared into just moments ago. "Brookie this place is nice," Catie said as she walked through the door. As she looked up, she couldn't help but smile. It was so good to see the two of them again. It had been nearly two years since they's seen each other, and they had both changed so much. Val now wore her straight blond hair softly curled around her shoulders and had thin wire framed glasses over her bright blue eyes. She looked amazing as ever, and Catie had to admit that she was jelous of the life that Val had. She was married to the man that she loved and had an amazing daughter. Two things that Catie wanted more than ever.   
Standing in front of her, Brooke literally looked like an angel on earth. Somehow in the past two years she had gone from an awdward teenager to a beautiful young woman. Her hair fell just short of her shoulders and was at the moment covered by the delicate lace of her veil. Her dress was absolutely gorgeous white satin that stopped just above the floor. The neckline seemed to go straight from one shoulder to the other and the skirt seemed to billow out from the massive amounts of prettycoats huidden beneath it. Her arms were covered to the elbow with elegant white gloves.   
"Wow! Brooke you look amazing," Catie said pulling her into a loving hug.   
"Brooke looks like an angel Mommy," Victoria piped up from the corner of the room where she was keeping herself busy.   
"Yes she does," Val agreed, "But now I suggest we get you out of this before a disaster happens." She motioned tward Victoria, who now held a box of markers that she had unearthed.   
"Yeah," Brooke and Catie agreed simultaneously.   
Within a few minutes, the dess was safely in it's place in the closet and Brooke was returned to heer jeans and a Kingsport EMS sweatshirt.   
"So," Catie said as they headed down the stairs, "Tell me again why you wanted us all to stay here. No offense but i don't think that seven adults and one 3 year old are going to fit in here too well."   
"Bacause we haven't all been together since graduation," Val answered. "This will give us a chance to catch up."   
"Yeah it's like one big sleepover," Brooke added.   
Catie rolled her eyes playfully. "OK then I guess it's time to unload the cars."   
"I'll go get the guys," Brooke said heading for the basement stairs.   
"OK," Val and Catie replied in unison. They burst out laughing as if they'd returned to high school.   
Still laughing, Catie turned the doorknob, opened the door, and found herself looking into a pair of familular dark eyes. Suddenly, she felt as if the floor had been pulled out from underneath her. She took a few steps backward to catch her balance. Jamie hadn't changes a bit, maybe a little taller, but other than that, he was the same boy that she'd fallen in love with years ago. His hair was still wildly spiked in hundreds of different directions, and his eyes were as dark and soulful as ever. She couldn't pull her glance away from them.   
"Jamie!!" Val screamed from behing her, and ran up to pull him into a long hug.   
**********************   
Jamie sat behind the wheel of the car staring at the house that lay in front of him. He couldn't believe that this day had finally come. He couldn't wait to see everyone again. To see Catie. An all too familular feeling of warmth came over him as he thought of seeing her again. That feeling was instantly replace with utter terror as he considered the thought that she might not want to see him. He tried to shake the thought out of his mind as he turned off the ignition.   
"Well you can't change your mind now," he told himself as he crawled out of the car and headed up the path to the front door.   
Jamie stood for a minute on the front steps, too nervous to raise his hand to knock. Suddenly he heard laughter from th ofther side of the door and it flew open. Jamie felt the air get trapped in his chest, and he had to force himself to breathe. He found himself staring down at the perfect girl that he had fallen in love with in high shool. But, she was somehow different, more amazing. She had cut her silky dark hair so that it framed her face. A few stray hairs had drifted acros her cheek and Jamie had to fight the urge to raise his hand to push it back. He stared into her eyes , afraid that if he looked away, she would disappear. She was so beautiful.   
He faintly heard Val calling his name, and she came tward him. He pulled her into a hug, his eyes never leaving Catie. A few moments later, he forced himself to tear his eyes from her as he noticed more people shuffling into the room. He looked up to see Hank and Tyler standing behind Catie. He released Val and went to greet them. Finally, Brooke and Nick enterd the room and Jamie went quickly to give Brooke a hug.   
"Thanks for coming," she whispered in his ear.   
He nodded in response, his gaze returning to Catie.   
"Well lets go get everything unloaded guys," Hank suggested. He began to walk out the open door followed by Tyler and Nick. Jamie reluctantly turned and followed in suit.   
Val then headed to check on Victoria who had fallen asleep in one of the upstairs rooms. Brooke and Catie headed to the kitchen to start some spaghetti for supper.   
"You do know that this is totally steriotypical right," Catie commented as Val entered the kitchen. "The men are out doing all the grunt work and we're in here slaving over the stove."   
"Would you want to eat something cooked by those four?" Brooke asked motioning out the window where the guys could be seen talking and unloading the cars.   
"OK, point taken," Catie replied placing a pot of pasta on the stove.   
"So, how does it feel?" Val asked suddenly, taking both of the other girls by suprise.   
"How does what feel?" Catie retorted, casually.   
"Seeing Jamie again," Val replied as if it were obvious what she meant.   
Catie's hand froze in its place above the stove. She had no idea to put how she was feeling into words. "I'm not sure..... I think that I...... I'm...."   
"Still in love with him," Brooke finished for her.   
"No I'm--" Catie started.   
"Don't try to deny it," Val cut her off. "Do you honestly think that I could have missed that look you two were giving each other back there. You couldn't take your eyes off him."   
"But....."   
"But what?" Brooke chimed in. "Catie if your not still in love each other, how do you explaing the fact that neither of you has had anything resembling a relationship since high school."   
Catie froze at those words. "You mean that Jamie never-"   
"Nope," Brooke and Val said in unison.

MEANWHILE............OUTSIDE

"So Brooke tells me that things are going good Jamie," Hank said, trying to break the silence.   
"Yeah, yeah they have been pretty good,"Jamie called from his car, his mind still foggy from his earlier encounter with Catie.   
"Alright, enough small talk," Tyler spoke up from the trunk of the car that he and catie had rented. "Time for the important question. Do you still have a thing for Catie or what?"   
Jamie was taken aback by the question. He raised his dark eyebrows at Tyler. "Excuse me?"   
"You barely took your eyes off her long enough to say hello," Hank pointed out.   
"Oh," Jamie said, a little embarrassed that they had noticed the way he was looking at her. He shifted his eyes down to the ground and preceeded to study the cracks in the driveway. "I......"   
"We'll take that as a yes," Nick said, pulling bags of Victoria's toys out of the van that Val and Hank had rented.   
Tyler pulled his head out of the trunk and appeared in front of Jamie, forcing him to look up. "So what are you going to do about it?"   
"Honestly I don't know if I'll do anything," he replied thinking outloud. The other three stared at him, mouths gaping. "What?" Jamie asked defensively. "You guys it's been five years do you honestly think that she's just been ............. waiting for me all this time?"   
"YES!!" They all shouted at him.   
  


Ok, there you have it. What do you think? I really hope this is still interesting. Just let me know if you want another one.   
  
  
  
  



	6. The End

Ok all i know that it's been like a lifetime and a half since i last posted this story, but this is the end. so i hope you enjoy and that you don't want to kill me for not getting it out earlier.  
  
**A Voice From the Past (conclusion**  
"Val we're leaving now," Hank called up the steps to his wife.   
"OK," she called back. "Have fun."   
"And be careful," Brooke added.  
"We will honey," Nick replied.  
With that the four guys filed out of the house and headed for Jamie's suv that sat against the curb.   
"OK fellas, where to?" Jamie asked as he climbed behind the wheel.  
"This is a bachelor party man, where do you think?" Hank retorted from the back seat.   
"Fine then to the clubs we go," Jamie replied shifting into drive and pulling away from the curb  
***********************  
"So when are you going to tell Jamie that you're still in love with him?" Val asked pointedly from the passenger's seat.   
"I'm no-" Catie began, but she immediately closed her mouth. There was no point in arguing with Val at this point. "We're not going to talk about this now. We're going to go have some fun remember?"  
Val sighed, defeated. "Fine."  
Brooke's head appeared between the seats. "No offense guys but you're not too great at this whole bachelorette party thing."  
Catie dropped her mouth in mock insult, "Alright, so let's forget all about the guys and go have some real fun."   
With that she sped up concentrating on the road ahead of her  
**********************************  
1:00 AM.  
Catie giggled to herself as she opened the door to Brooke's house and attempted to support both Van and Brooke all at once. "OK," Catie thought aloud, "Ummmm...... Val you sit on the couch and I'll try to take Brookie here upstairs."  
Val laughed loudly as she made her way to the couch, bumping into everything that lay in her path. Catie kicked herself once again for letting them drink so much. Unfortunately it was too late now. Right now she had to get them both up the stairs.  
Catie and brooke were just feet from the master bedroom when Brooke started to babble, "He really loves you, you know," She started, he words momentarily freezing Catie. "He always has."   
Catie had now gotten her into bed and started to walk back down the stairs, dismissing Brooke's comments as drunken babble. Ten minutes later Val was safe in the other bedroom and sat alone in the dark living room. "It's going to be an interesting morning," she mused before falling into a peaceful sleep on the couch  
**********************************  
Jamie glanced at the clock before cutting the engine. 2:10 the green numbers glowed back at him in the darkness. He yawned and pushed open the door, walking out into the dark street. Hank followed soon after. He had stopped drinking midway through the night, and was sobered up by now. The two stood in the street, watching Tyler and Nick try to make their way up the walkway to the house.   
"What do you say we give them a hand?" Hank asked, attempting to hold back his laughter.  
"I'll get Tyler, you get your future brother-in-law," Jamie replied in agreement.  
A he crossed the threshold into the house, he noticed slight movement coming from the living room, and took a few steps toward the couch to investigate before realizing that he still had Tyler in toe. Reluctantly he steered his intoxicated companion in the direction of the basement stairs.   
Jamie successfully directed him down the stairs and laid him onto the couch. He was heading back to the stairs when Tyler's voice caught his attention again. "Do something Jamie, before you lose her again," he said simply.   
With that, Jamie spun on his heal and went to question Tyler's statement, but he had already fallen into a deep sleep.   
Still wondering what Tyler ad meant, Jamie headed up the stairs for a glass of water. Hank and Nick were long gone and the whole house was suprisingly silent. He absentmindedly opened the door to the refrigerator, sending a bright beam of light across floor and into the living room. It landed directly on Catie's face as she slept happily on the couch. The light made her look so angelic that Jamie just smiled at her for a moment before realizing that she had begun to stir. As quickly as possible, he closed the door, but it was too late.   
"Jamie?" a groggy voice piped up, breaking the silence, "Is that you?"  
"Uh, yeah," He replied quietly though the darkness to the doorway of the living room.   
"Hey," She said, now more awake. She stared at him through the darkness, fishing for something to say. "So did you all have fun?" She finally asked, it was all that she could think of.  
"Yeah I guess so," Jamie said half-heartedly. He began to slowly close the distance that separated them and eventually sat next to her on the couch.   
An empty silence filled the room, and catie shifted uncomfortably, her mind frantically searching for something to say. _'This shouldn't be that difficult!' she yelled at herself subconsciously, 'just say something.'  
Jamie stared down at the glass of water that rested in his hand. 'Just talk!' Jamie thought, 'You were her best friend, talking is something that you should be able to do.'  
Suddenly, Jamie was suprised to hear his own voice fill the emptiness, "Catie, what happened to us?" The words were out in the open before Jamie could do anything to stop them and they hung stalely in the ai, waiting for a reply.  
Catie sat shocked for a moment before forcing herself to answer his question, "Honestly I don't know. I guess I didn't want either of us to get hurt, and somehow it would be easier to leave for school if....... If we weren't so close."  
She looked up into his eyes wearily and was met with so much hurt that she couldn't bear it. Her eyes shot back down to the carpet. "I guess it kinda backfired though," she finished quietly.  
Jamie couldn't take it anymore, he stood up slowly and walked to the window. He stared out into the darkness of Kingsport. "Yeah it did," he said simply. When he finally turned back to face Catie, he saw a small tear sliding down her cheek in the darkness. His heart sank and he made his way back to the chair next to the couch.   
"Just so you know..." he started, giving her a weak smile."Nevermind."   
Catie's eyes met his, filled with curiosity. "What?" she asked softly.  
"Nothing," he said tenderly."Why don't you try to get some more sleep, it's late?"   
She held his gaze for a second longer, then nodded in agreement. A few minutes later, sweet dreams filled her head.   
Jamie watched as Catie quietly drifted back into her dream world before he finished his previous statement. "I never stopped loving you," He whispered into the darkness. Then feeling suddenly his eyelids began to feel heavy and he slipped into a deep sleep.  
-------------------------------The next day-----------------------------------------------  
  
Catie opened her eyes to a beam of sunlight, signaling that morning had arrived. She stretched her arms into the air in an attempt to shake the sleepy thought from her mind.   
"Good afternoon," A voice called from the kitchen making Catie's heart skip a beat. "Still not a morning person huh?  
Catie turned to find Jamie standing in the kitchen shuffling around a few pans. She checked the watch that was fastened to her wrist. 11:43 it wasn't that late yet. "Technically it's still morning for another 17 minutes," she called back, wrapping herself up in the blanket that she'd slept in and heading for the table. "Besides if I remember correctly, you're the one who always slept through first period."   
"What can i say?" He replied with a smirk. "I've become a morning person." He placed a plate of sizzling bacon and eggs in front of her. "Now could I persuade you to have some breakfast?"  
Catie smiled, picking up a fork and digging in. The pair sat at the table for the better part of an hour, discussing their lives since their last meeting. Somehow the wall that had separated them the night before had melted away and their friendship had come back to them in full.   
Eventually, all of their friends filed into the kitchen and joined the conversation and before any of them had realized, it was time to be at the church for the rehearsal  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Jamie sat in a pew near the back of the church, frantically writing in a notebook. He occasionally picked up his guitar to set a tune to whatever it was that he was writing. Suddenly, his attention was drawn to Victoria who was wildly running up and down the aisle. Jamie followed the little girl with his eyes until she ran up to him and stopped, silently staring at him. Jamie knelt down so that they were on the same level. "What's up kiddo?" he asked.   
Victoria smiled coyly at the man in front of her. Jamie took the opportunity to pull the little girl up in his arms and began to tickle her ceaselessly.   
Small laughter filled the church, forcing Catie to turn from the rehearsal to the back of the church, where her eyes settled on Jamie and Victoria. She stared in awe at his gentleness with the young girl in his arms for a moment, but then forced herself to concentrate what the pastor was saying.   
Jamie looked up just in time to see Catie's short dark hair fly as she turned around. He returned Victoria to the ground and studied Catie's figure.   
"What am I going to do?" Jamie asked himself silently. He looked down to see Victoria's dark eyes staring at him in questioning. He shook his head at her before leading her down the aisle toward his friends.   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Brooke and Catie rushed back to the church early the next morning to start getting ready. Val arrived soon after, Victoria still asleep in her arms.   
"Well Brooke," She said once Victoria was laid carefully on a chair. "Two hours and counting."   
Brooke just sighed weakly in response and went back to fixing her hair.   
"You'll be fine kiddo," Catie said reassuringly.  
*********************  
Meanwhile:  
"Hank," Tyler called down the stairs. "How do you tie this stupid thing!?"  
He made his way down the stairs to the his friends who were waiting in the living room. Hank was busy tying Jamie's bow tie, while Tyler waited patiently to get his done next. "You know all of you really should learn how to do this," Hank said chuckling to himself.  
"Either that or get clip on's," Jamie joked once his tie was finished. He plopped down on the couch and started to strum harmonic chords on his guitar. He hummed a soft melody that fit perfectly to the notes that filled the room.   
"It sounds good man," Tyler said, trying not to move, so Hank could finish tying.   
"Thanks," Jamie said with a smile. "You know I never figured that I'd be playing my guitar in a tux!"  
"Well," Nick said nervously looking at his watch. "I guess we'd better get to the church."  
Jamie waited for a moment, holding his guitar case, watching the others walk out the door. Suddenly he grabbed his keys and headed across the lawn toward his suv parked where he'd left it the night before. "Guys," he called to his friends who were climbing into Nick's car. "I have to go get something, I'll meet you at the church."  
"Don't be late!" Hank warned as Jamie climbed behind the wheel.   
"This is perfect," Jamie said to himself as he headed down the road.  
**********************************  
"Where are they?" Val asked to no one in particular as she paced in the hallway in the back of the church. She stopped to look at her watch and then started pacing again.  
Catie and Brooke stood back, following Val with their eyes. "I thought that it was the bride's job to worry," Brooke whispered.  
"It's always your sister's job to worry," Catie replied. The two girls stood there attempting to hold back their laughter as Val rambled on about punctuality.   
She was stopped only by Victoria's voice calling out, "Daddy!!!" She ran to the doorway where Hank now stood.   
"Hey sweetheart, are you being good?" He asked gently lifting his daughter from the ground.  
The little girl nodded her head and then leaned over to whisper, "Mommy was worried."  
Hank smiled, putting his daughter down and walking over to his wife. Before she could say a word, he gave her a soft kiss and said, "Everything is going to be fine."  
Suddenly Tyler's head appeared in the doorway. "Uh, Hank You might want to come out here."   
"Why, What's up?" Hank asked cautiously.  
"Nothing serious, just a little tie problem," Tyler reassured.  
"Duty calls," Hank said simply before waking out the door. A few seconds later, he reappeared. "By the way, you all look beautiful," he added. with that he disappeared again.   
"Hey Tyler,"Brooke started, "Where exactly is Jamie?"  
"He said he had to get something," Tyler answered, but seeing the nervous expressions that covered all the girls' faced he added, "Don't worry he'll be here.  
sure enough, Jamie waked through the doorway just as Tyler finished his sentence.  
"Impeccable timing Jamie," Val said laughing. Jamie just stared at her with a look of confusion.   
"What did you have to get?" Catie asked him curiously.  
"Nothing important," he replied defensively.  
Hank reappeared in the doorway once more, "The minister says that it's time to get going."  
The whole wedding seemed to flash by and before anyone realized, the minister was telling Nick that he could kiss his bride. The whole happy group made their way to the reception hall where Jamie quickly set up his equipment.  
"Hey everybody," he called into the microphone to get everyone's attention. "It's time for the bride and groom's first dance."  
With that he picked up his guitar and started to sing:  
You walked into my life  
And time stood still  
I don't know how  
I ever lived without you  
By my side .........  
He locked his eyes with Catie's and didn't dare look away. The rest of the song seemed to just flow from his mouth without thought. It was over before he even knew it and applause filled the room. Jamie took a deep breath and walked back up to the microphone. "Thank you," he started. "Now if you don't mind, I just have one more thing that I have to do."  
He took the Mic from the stand and walked over to Catie, "Something that I should have done five years ago..."  
He pulled a small box from his pocket and dropped down to one knee, "Catie Roth I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"   
Tears streamed down Catie's cheeks as she nodded her head at him. Jamie stood up and pulled her into a passionate kiss that was five years in the making. Loud applause filled the room, but neither Jamie or Catie even noticed.  
  
  
_THE END  
  
Ok there you have it . it's all over. sorry for all the spelling mistakes,but it's late. hope you enjoyed it. thanx for waiting for the ending  
  
  
  
  
  



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